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Monday, March 9

Don't wanna make Aunt Sandy mad, but I have a confession to make: I've never made a Sandra Lee recipe before. Shocking, I know. I watch Semi-homemade mostly for its entertainment value and don't often find myself jotting down recipes.

So when I got an invite to my blog friend Jordan Baker's annual Semi-Homemaker party, I didn't anticipate how hard it would be to select the first Sandra Lee recipes I'd ever make. This year's event was the third installment, so I didn't want to repeat any previously made dishes. (The infamous Kwanzaa cake was already made in 2008, sadly).

My criteria was simple: the recipe must have a Sandy staple (seasoning packet, crock pot, whipped topping, and/or canned items), must be a gamble as to whether it will taste good or not (I like a game of chance), and must include one of those trademark "Sandy secrets" where you wonder why she chose that instead of just using that (like if she used crescent rolls instead of lasagna noodles in a lasagna).

This one definitely met the criteria:Staple? Crock pot, cans, AND whipped topping.Gamble on Taste? So hard to tell with the crock pot, usually it makes things taste good... but a dessert?Trademark Sandy Secret? Boxed cake mix and a packet of instant oatmeal pretty much met this... and the fact that it was cooked in the crock pot.

I wasn't feeling cherries though, so I decided to try peach. Take a look at these lovely brand-free products, a la Semi-homemade.

Oh - like this is an "original" recipe. Check any Boy Scout cook book and it's done on the campfire in a cast iron Dutch oven. Look in any good church fundraiser cookbook, and it's called a Dump Cake (for obvious reasons) and baked in a conventional oven.

I have to share with you that the Pear and Cherry Buckle is also the only recipe that I have ever made from Semi-Homeade! I brought it to a school party and actually people liked it and I even liked it. I don't think I used the whipped topping tho. Your post had me hysterical! Now check out what else I did with it, you think Sandy would like???

Cute post Jacob! I bought one of Aunt Sandy's dessert books at her book signing and haven't actually made one thing from it yet. The desserts look good but the ingredient lists are unusual, calling for things like imitation butter flakes. Ewww.